


mourning time and moving on

by elleterates



Category: Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Light Angst, M/M, Moving Out, Post-Canon, alex and henry move in together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-25
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-15 21:00:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29689875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elleterates/pseuds/elleterates
Summary: Henry and his mother talked about Henry's plans for the future while Catherine contemplates the last several years.
Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, Catherine Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor & Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor
Comments: 18
Kudos: 65





	mourning time and moving on

**Author's Note:**

> this can be seen as a sequel to ‘growing up and going home’, but since this story has a generally more angsty tone to it, i will not be mark it as such. both can be independent of each other, though this can also be read as a counterpart to the aforementioned fic!

Princess Catherine has made several mistakes and done quite a few things that she is not proud of. She has regrets. Believing and supporting her children is not one of those things.

She could tell that she’s coming on a little too strong with Henry though because his eyes snapped to the floor whenever she attempted to speak to him about his boyfriend, or how flustered he would get when she asked him if he needed help with his writing, or by how generally surprised he would get when she simply initiated a conversation. She doesn’t blame him, of course, but it’s still difficult to see. 

In the last five years, she’s been watching her kids grow up through a pinhole in a wall she created. It was just small enough to not allow her to see the full extent of their struggles, but it was big enough to see they were alive and getting through. She should have ripped the whole thing down.

Due to all of this, she was shocked when Henry asked her to have tea with him. He seemed nervous to ask and it broke her heart, but by the time they found themselves seated with a kettle of hot water between them, he seemed more confident with himself. 

“So I talked with Alex today.” He said, reaching for the kettle and filling both of their teacups. “Things on his end are going well, so I figured it was time to tell you.” He’s grinning, Catherine notes, in the way he usually does once he gets over the initial awkwardness that comes with talking about your love life with your once practically estranged mother. “I bought a house in New York.”

“You… bought a house in New York? The United States?” And Catherine realizes that was the wrong response the moment it leaves her mouth because Henry gets reserved again. Arthur was always so much better at this. With him. With them all.

Henry's body tenses and he’s now sitting up, he’s back straight. She has a distant memory of reminding 12-year-old Henry that he didn’t have to be proper when her mother wasn’t around. “Yes, near where Pez and I are trying to set up the shelter.”

Catherine feels so out of practice on how to be a mother even though she has been actively trying the last few months. She can’t help but think of when she was teaching Philip how to ride a bike while Arthur held a fussy Beatrice. He kept making jokes about how it’s as easy as riding a bike and how Catherine jokingly threatened to throw a rock at him, to which Arthur held Beatrice in front of his face as a shield, effectively making her giggle.

This was, in fact, not as easy as riding a bike.

“Is this temporary? Will you be coming back once everything is settled?”

“I mean, I did buy a house. I’m hoping I can make it at least a semi-permanent situation.” She can tell he’s trying his best not to snap at her. She would probably deserve it. “I also asked Alex to move in with me. So.” He doesn’t explain any further, he made his point.  _ I’m starting a new life, Mother. Please don’t make me say that I don’t want to stay. _

“Alright, then.” Catherine decides to take a new approach. “I know you love hi-”

“Please don’t try to convince me out of it, it’s already done.” He looks desperate. Panicked. 

A cold chill runs through her blood. Anger. She wants to break everything and everyone who ever made her son, her youngest, feel as if he couldn’t do what he wanted, be who he was, go where he’s needed. “Love, I’m not going to. Please hear me out.” She sets her tea down and reaches for his hands, leaning across the table to look him in the eye, “I’m not letting your Gran, my mother, keep you trapped anymore, do you hear me?  _ I’m  _ not going to keep you trapped either.” She lifts one hand to his cheek. He’s gotten so grown up without her truly noticing. She can see it in the way his eyes droop just slightly, in that his nose no longer scrunches up when she touches him like this.  _ How did I miss all of this? _ “I am so incredibly proud of you. Please trust me when I say that. The whole and the only reason I’m hesitant to be excited for you is that I am terribly selfish.” Her voice is tethering closer and closer to cracking. “I just got you back.”

“I’ve been here the whole time, Mum.”

“Except those times you were running off to the States.” Catherine jokes. It earns her a laugh. “Your father would be—is—so proud of you, my beautiful son. You remember me so much of him. Your kind heart and courageous soul.” Tears are spilling down both their cheeks now. “All we ever wanted was for you children to be happy. Just, don’t forget to call.”

“I won't, I promise. I’ll write too, if that’s alright?”

“You better.” He gives a small laugh and she sits back, putting both hands back in her lap, “So, does Beatrice know?”

He laughs wholeheartedly, “Oh, of course, she does. How else do you think I purchased a house without you knowing?”

She knows the last few years have been hard on all three of her kids, but she’s grateful that at least Beatrice and Henry had each other. “I expect nothing less. Now I suspect you have a phone call to make. Or an email?”

“Mum!”

**Author's Note:**

> in the middle of writing this fic, i got some very sad news. death is not something to brush over. grieving can happen at any moment, even if you believe you’ve moved past it years ago. allow yourself to feel that pain and remember to do what’s best for you to heal. I love you all. i planned to have this out when ‘growing up and going home’ hit 100 kudos, but when i was at 99 kudos when this fic was difficult. thank you to the discord who answered my bea and philip age question that i asked the minute before this happened and then the love and support they gave when it did. I had only been in the discord for a day. they are the sweetest. and also thank you tori, who is always there for me. you are truly one of the best people i know. ilyilyily.  
> comments and kudos are greatly appreciated!  
> chat with me on twitter @alexgcds or on tumblr @alexgcd


End file.
